The Beach Boys: The Smile Sessions (Capitol Records/2011)

By 1966 Brian Wilson was, creatively speaking, the king of the pop world. As leader and producer of The Beach Boys he'd been responsible for dozens of hit singles and albums. He'd also produced and written several singles for other artists as well. In three years he'd basically spearheaded an entire industry with selling California and it's appeal to the entire world. 1966 saw the release of The Beach Boys' Pet Sounds, an album that was inspired by Rubber Soul and in turn was single-handedly responsible for inspiring The Beatles to make Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band.

Originally intended for release in January of 1967, Smile was to be the next progression in pop music. A continuation of the modular songwriting that began with the “Good Vibrations” single. It had a loose thematic concept as an American travelogue from starting as Plymouth Rock and ending in Hawaii (with references to Imperialism, expansion, Industrial revolution, Manifest Destiny and the Great Chicago Fire). It also touches on The Elements (air, fire, Earth and water) as well. However, due to Brian Wilson's excessive substance abuse, paranoia and his creative partner, Van Dyke Parks walking away from the project, Smile was never completed. In fact, it's basically become a common view that Brian Wilson may have been simply overwhelmed with all of the fragments that were recorded for the segments of the pieces. And in his ambitions he basically envisioned the future of digital editing.

An over-simplified version of Smile was released in late Summer of 1967 as Smiley Smile. Songs from what would have been on the finished album did see release in various forms over the years, including on Smiley Smile. “Cabbinessence” and “Our Prayer” were released on the 20/20 album in 1969. "Cool Cool Water" later appeared on Sunflower in 1970. The “Mama Says” segment from “Vege-Tables” was released on Wild Honey in 1967 and “Surf's Up” served as the title track to their critically-acclaimed 1971 album.

The failure of Smile to materialize in its' intended form caused Brian Wilson to retreat from the public eye for many years and serving to ultimately further deepen his mental health problems. Wilson re-recorded the Smile album and tour in support of it in 2004 with his excellent solo band. The 50^th anniversary of The Beach Boys in 2011/2012 was the perfect occasion to finally release the original Smile recordings as The Smile Sessions on Halloween 2011.

The Smile Sessions box set included one double vinyl album (which comes with the original booklet as it was originally produced in 1966), two vinyl seven-inch singles, five CD's, and a sixty-page book. The CDs are one disc of the album as it has now been envisioned/revisioned and four CDs of session highlights. It's easily one of the most reverend box sets to be released specifically with it's fans in mind.

In 1966 album sleeves and booklets were produced way in advance as Smile was on the most highly anticipated releases in Capitol Records history. The artwork has been properly restored as well the mid-60's labels. Not one UPC barcode to be found on the item anywhere. The singles are beautifully reproduced as well, using the original “Heroes & Villains” picture sleeve as well as more of Smile artist Frank Holmes artwork for “Vege-tables”. You can also purchase the vinyl album as a standalone-purchase.

I'd recommend this release for anyone to hear as it's such an important slice of 1960's recording history that almost neverwas.

Here's The Video Review:

Special Thanks to Patricia Marson.

Van Dyke Parks: Song Cycle (Rhino Records/2013)

Van Dyke Parks is something of an enigma who has worn many hats in his long career. He has worked with The Beach Boys on their legendary Smile album and co-wrote "Sail On Sailor". He did the arrangements on Disney's The Jungle Book. He was the head of  Warner Brother's audio/video department in the 1970's. He was taught by Aaron Copland and sang for Albert Einstein in German as a child. He's recorded with The Byrds in the late 60's. He gave Buffalo Springfield it's name. He was a child actor and appeared in several films and television shows, including a neighbor of Ralph & Alice on The Honeymooners.

He's also released a few solo albums. The most notable of these was his debut album, Song Cycle. Song Cycle was originally released on Warner Brothers in 1968, and was recorded with a budget of $35,000 dollars making it the most expensive album at the time of its' release. It is an assemblage of various styles of American music. Ranging from old-timey American Ragtime and showtunes, traditional bluegrass, orchestrated suites all in an esoteric, psychedelic late 60's baroque pop art context. It's simultaneously backwards-looking and progressive. The songs are somewhat seamless and flow better than most albums of this sort IMHO. For starters, there are never any discernible lulls that seem to plague a good majority of so-called experimental pop music. Something is always taking place, and it's that very thing about it - which is wonderful - that may be off-putting some. I love Van Dyke Parks and love the album too.

This release was a limited edition 180-gram mono-pressing of 2,500 copies celebrating it's 45th anniversary. It was released by Rhino on Record Store Day of 2013 and it's basically a flawless release.

Here's the video review: